Concentrator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. GATES.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G GATESl GONCENT'RATOR.

No. 477,111. Patented June 14, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE GATES, OF JACKSON, CALIFORNIA.

CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 477,111, dated J une 14, 1892.

Application led September 14, 1891. Serial No. 405.694. iNo model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jackson, Amador county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Concentrators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for separating fine, heavy, valuable substances and sulphurets from the coarser sand and waste-matter so as to concentrate the former and allow the latter to be washed away.

My present invention is an improvement upon a eoncentrator for which patent was issued to me September 2, 1890, No. 435,562; and its object is to provide a better distribution of the pulp between the supply-sluices and the separating-tables, and in certain details of construction, all of whichwill be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan or top View of my invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line x fo of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the distributing-tables E.

A is the upper carrying-sluice, into which the pulp or material to be separated and concentrated is delivered, as shown in my former patent, or by any suitable feed apparatus. This upper sluice has holes B and Bmade in pairs in its bottom at intervals. The hole B when opened delivers the material which is flowing through the sluice Adirectly into the inclined trough C, which stands transversely beneath the sluice A, and delivers the material which falls into it into the box D, where it falls upon the lower inclined side of the box, and flows from this upon the distributing-table E. This table is made with an inclined surface which diverges rapidly from the upper end at the box D, and at the lower end it discharges directly upon the inclined tables F, over which the material flows to the lower or discharge ends.

The surface of the distributingtable E is divided into numerous diverging channels by means of the angle-iron plates G, which are bolted upon the surface, as clearly shown, each of the plates commencing in the lower part of the box D, and extending thence to its proper relative position at the lower or discharge edge of the table E. The pulp ormaterial which is delivered into the box D from the chute C will flow down the channels formed by these angle-iron dividing-strips G, and the tendency of this material will be to flow against the side of the plate which is presented toward the outside of the table-that is to say, the material, if allowed to iiow freely, would iiow approximately straight down the center of the table E; but by reason of the diverging flanges or plates G it is diverted outwardly in all of these channels, and by reason of this diversion it will naturally fiow against the outer faces of the strips.

At the lower end of the table E is fixed a vertical plate orstop II, which serves as a dam to check the pulp when it reaches this point.

I are directingplates secured upon the bottom of the table E near the lower or discharge ends of the channels formed by the guideflanges G, and these directing-strips cause the pulp to flow in straight parallel lines as it reaches the lower end of the table, instead of having its direction in the diverging lines to which it has been previously compelled by the guide-flanges.

The vertical plate or dam Il is perforated by a great number of small holes about onefourth of an inch in diameter, situated about -one inch apart, and the pulp when it reaches the lower end of the diverging channels of the table E flows through these holes, so that it is delivered in a very even body all over the inclined concentrating-tables F.

In my former patent I have shown the tables F subdivided into channels by parallel strips ext-ending from the upper to the lower ends of the tables. In the present case I have shown my tables as made without these strips, simply covered with canvas, which is secured upon each side, and the upper end by being turned upwardly against this end and the sides of the tables and secured by bars or cleats which are fastened in these angles, and thus hold the canvas smoothly in place.

There is a series of the tables F, each one of which receives its supply of material from one of the distributors E, and all of them are IOO supplied by the main sluice A, as previously described, through the openings B.V During the time when any one table is being supplied with material the opening B will be closed by a plug. This opening communicates with a supplemental sluice J, which extends beneath the main sluice A, as shown. When a suflicient amount of material has been passed over any one of the tables F and it is desired to clean up this table, the plug or stopper is removed from the opening B and is placed in the opening B, thus cutting off any further supply to that table. Clear water is then discharged through the main supply-pipe K and the branch pipe L until the table has been thoroughly washed oit and the worthless and valuable portions have been discharged from the lower ends of the tables F, these materials being separated, as shown in my former patent, by independent receiving troughs or chutes. Vhile this is going on and any one of the tables is being thuscleaned up, the material will be allowed to liow through the opening B into the supplemental sluice J, which conveys it beyond the regular series of tables F, and it is there delivered through the chute C and box I) upon a supplemental distributing-table E', constructed in the same manner as previously described, and thence upon an extra or supplemental table F', where the work of concentration is carried on in the same manner as has been described for my other tables. This enables me to carry on the work of each table while itis being temporarilyrout of action for the purpose of being cleaned up, and as soon as one table has been cleaned and another is being cleaned the same operation takes place, so that` this extra table is constantly in use for this purpose.

` I do not confine myself to any number of main or supplemental tables, as it will be manifest that two or more of the latter may be employed, as necessity requires, and as many of the former may be used as the amount of material to be treated calls for.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the supply-sluice, the supplemental sluice extending beneath it, inclined discharge-troughs fixed beneath the upper supply-sluice, a receiving-box into which the troughs discharge, the parallel inclined distributing-tables extending at right angles with the sluices, over which the material flows from said box, and being narrow at the upper or receiving end and diverging to the lower end, and having guide-flanges upon their surfaces, said supply-sluice having holes made through its bottom, one of which communicates with said distributing-table and the other with the supplemental sluice, substantially as herein described.

2. In a concentrator, a main supply-sluice, a supplemental sluice extending beneath it,

a series of inclined concentrating-tables extending at right angles with the main and supplemental sluices, intermediate distributing-tables situated between the supply-sluice and the concentrating-tables, said tables being made narrow at the upper or receiving end and diverging to the lower end, and having vertical guide-flanges fixed upon their surfaces and diverging from the receiving to the discharge ends, openings made in the main sluice above each of the distributingtables, one of which communicates with said table and Y the other with a supplemental sluice beneath the main sluice, whereby the pulp may be directed upon the distributing and concentrating tables, or cut off therefrom and delivered into the supplemental sluice, and thence upon a secondary table, substantially as herein described.

3. In a concentrator, a series of inclined concentrating-tables, corresponding inclined distributing-tables, the lower ends of which deliver upon-the upper ends of the concentrating-tables, flanges fixed upon said distributing-tables, diverging from the receiving to the discharge ends of the tables, a supplysluice whereby pulp is delivered upon the upper end of the distributing-tables, and guides I, xed to the surfaces of the tables near the discharge end to change the direction of the delivery of the pulp at this point, substantially as herein described.

4. In a concentrator, a series of inclined concentrating-tables, a corresponding series ofinclined distributing-tables diverging from the receiving end to the discharge and delivering upon the upper ends of the concentrating-tables, diverging flanges fixed upon the ysurfaces of the distributing-tables, whereby the pulp or material is caused to diverge from the receiving to the discharge ends of said tables, directing-pieces I fixed to the lower ends of distributing-tables, and perforated plates H, through which the pulp is delivered from the distributing-tables to the upper ends of the Yconcentrating tables, substantially as herein described.

5. A concentrator consisting of a series of inclined tables standing parallel with each other, each successive table lower than the preceding one, a supply-sluice extending at right angles with said tables above their upper or receiving ends, corresponding distributing-tables adapted to receive material from the supply-sluice and deliver it upon the concentrating-tables, said distributing-tables diverging from the receiving to the discharge ends and having correspondingly-diverging fianges fixed upon their surfaces and dividing them into channels through which the pulp ows, perforated plates and guide-pieces at the lower ends of the distributing-tables, whereby the material is evenly delivered upon the upper ends of the concentrating-tables, holes made in pairs in the bottom of the supply-sluice and corresponding with each of the IIO distributing-tables, inclined chutes, with each of which one of these holes communicates, and a supplemental sluce extending beneath and parallel With the main sluice With Which the other hole communicates, and plugs or Stoppers whereby either of the holes may be closed and the other opened to supply matcrial to the distributing` and concentrating tables or diverted into the supplemental sluice, substantially as herein described. xo

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE GATES. Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, J. A. BAYLEss. 

